A former Lincoln Business School student from Scunthorpe is preparing to represent the UK in the esteemed global spreadsheet championship taking place in Las Vegas this December. Ha Dang, who recently clinched the British title in London, earned the opportunity to compete on the international scale at the Microsoft Excel World Championship. The competition involves tackling complex problems related to various subjects, such as historical monarchs and currency conversion, through data manipulation.
Mr. Dang is currently employed with a stockbroking firm in Leeds. He expressed his anticipation about the chance to meet international competitors he has been communicating with online through Excel group chats.
His motivation to take part in the UK championship started unexpectedly after attending a conference in February where a similar contest was taking place. Fired up by the excitement, Mr. Dang immersed himself in instructional YouTube videos to sharpen his critical thinking and Excel capabilities. Reflecting on his narrow victory, he commented, “I won the British title by the skin of my teeth. It took a moment to process the result before it sunk in, I’ve never been so driven by anything like this.”
Originally hailing from Vietnam, Mr. Dang moved to the UK over ten years ago to further his studies in Lincoln. Having become a British citizen earlier this year, his diligent efforts in several qualifying rounds ultimately led him to clinch the UK final. He was awarded a champion’s belt for his achievement and is now excited to represent the UK at the world championship. “It’s going to be a fun experience,” he said with great excitement.
This article was adapted with permission from the original published by BBC News.
